


In the Blood

by BigBandBombshell



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Agents of SHIELD, Agents of SHIELD Crossover, Angst and Smut, But all smut is consensual, F/M, Humans First, Much further on, NO ACTUAL ASSAULT, SHIELD Infiltrating terrorist cells, Sneaking Around, So they kill people, Terrorism, The bad guys are really bad guys, Threat of Rape, Undercover, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, WinterMiracle, mcu crossover, there's a lot of angst here people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-01-16 17:30:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18526252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigBandBombshell/pseuds/BigBandBombshell
Summary: SHIELD has never heard of Humans First. But the Europe-based terrorist organization just made themselves known in a big way. They leave a trail of dead behind them. Inhuman, Enhanced, Mutant. Humans First doesn't care. If it's not their version of human, it has to be eradicated.Coulson is sending two of his best in undercover. Their job is to infiltrate the organization and gather intel so SHIELD can build a plan to bring it down. But they need help. Enter Alexandria Wesson. Mutant, telepath, Avenger. And where Xandria goes, Bucky Barnes follows. He's not about to let his girl go in alone. But he can't content himself with watching her back from afar. He has to go on. And that's when things start to go wrong.





	1. Mission Brief

“I don't like this, Steve.” Bucky's frown was unnecessary. The edge on his voice was sharp enough that a chill went down Xandria's spine.

“There isn't anyone else to do it, James.” Xandria nudged Bucky's arm with her shoulder until he pulled her against his side.

“You're not the only telepath in the world.”

“I'm the only one SHIELD has besides Wanda. And you know that Wanda can't do what I do.”

“Even if she could,” Steve cut in. “She's on her own assignment. We need Xandria on this, Buck. We need Miracle.”

Bucky's jaw clenched but Steve didn't look away. Xandria slid an arm around Bucky's waist and let her own sense of calm wash across his mind. His expression softened as he looked down at her, though his jaw remained tight.

“It's not safe, babydoll.”

“None of our missions are safe. Our lives aren't safe, James. But this group, this... this Humans First movement. I can't just let it go.”

“None of us can,” Steve murmured. Xandria glanced over at him but his eyes were on the screens against the wall. Xandria did her best not to look at them. She'd seen enough dead mutants in her lifetime. She didn't need to see the destruction Humans First had left behind.

“They're terrorists, Buck. And they've got mutants in their crosshairs. Mutants, Inhumans, enhanced individuals...anything that's not their idea of human.” Steve choked off whatever was going to come next.

“So send me in. You and me, Steve. We've fought this fight before.”

“Times have changed. There's no front line. Not like there used to be.”

“Goddamn spy games,” Bucky growled. Steve nodded and Bucky shook his head with a sigh.

“I'd trust Fitz with my life, for what it's worth.”

The three of them turned to the fourth person in the room. Coulson had been silent up until now. He usually let Steve take the lead when they worked together. But his shoulders had grown tighter and tighter the longer they argued. Xandria could sense that this fight was personal. She sent a tendril of thought out to him and was shocked when he flicked his gaze her way and shook his head.

“I'm not here to answer personal questions, Miss Wesson.”

Xandria's cheeks flared hot and Bucky scowled as he tightened his arm around her shoulders. She calmed him and forced the blush away.

“You just seem highly invested, Director Coulson.”

“I am. I swore an oath to protect people. And Humans First is making that very hard to do.”

Xandria arched a brow. They looked at each other a moment longer, both perfectly aware that Coulson wasn't telling the whole truth. Steve cleared his throat when it was clear Coulson wasn't going to add anything else.

“We've all got loved ones on the wrong side of their sights.” Steve braced a hand on either hip and caught Bucky's gaze. The two men stared at one another, communicating silently in a way that not even Xandria fully understood.

“Fine.” Bucky growled the word between clenched teeth. “But I'm part of the observation team. And I run the extraction.”

Steve glanced at Coulson and the man nodded without hesitation.

“We've already got an extraction plan but you can change it as you see fit. Just make sure it gets all of our people out. Not just Xandria.”

“I don't leave people behind.” Bucky scowled at Coulson.

“Never said you did.” Coulson slid his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and shrugged. “But I know what it's like to have your other half in enemy territory. You make choices you wouldn't normally make.”

“That's not going to be a problem.” Xandria jumped in before Bucky could let loose the tirade she could feel in his head. “Your man – Fitz, was it? - We're supposed to be an item. And his contact – I believe you said Simmons was her name? - they're an item too. The three of us can stick together and make sure nobody misses the extraction.”

Xandria turned a gentle smile on each of the men but none of them lost the tight lines around their mouths. She bit back and sigh and flooded the room with a sense of calm. Coulson's eyes went wide before he relaxed back into the soothing current of emotion Xandria gave off. Steve frowned but the tension was gone from his eyes. Only Bucky fought it, their connection giving him a layer of protection that the others lacked.

“Cut it out, Miracle.” Steve crossed his arms over his chest. Xandria shrugged and drew the sensation back into her core.

“Things were getting a little too tense.”

“Try not to do that when you're undercover,” Coulson muttered as his shoulders tensed up again. “The Humans First guys are paranoid. They'll notice if the whole room mellows out.”

“You know my history, Director Coulson. You're the one who brought me into SHIELD in the first place.” Xandria smothered her own frown. “You know how much control I have.”

“I also know your secondary mutation was repressed for over a decade. Not even you knew it was there.” Coulson shrugged again. He finally pushed off from the wall. “People change, Miss Wesson. There's no shame in making sure everyone is on the same page.”

He shuffled out of the room before Xandria could think of anything to say.

“He doesn't walk like the Director of an intel organization,” Bucky muttered. A wry grin curled Steve's lips.

“Oh yes he does. Try picking him out of a crowd when he doesn't want to be seen. Nine times out of ten, nobody can.”

Bucky wanted to point out that he probably could. But Xandria pressed a kiss to his chest before he'd fully formed his argument. He looked down at her and his brow finally relaxed when their eyes met.

 _I'm going on this mission, Buck_.

_I know, babydoll. I don't like it, but I'm not going to lock you in a tower or anything._

_I'd love to see you try._  Xandria flashed him a small smile. Bucky's lips twitched and a touch of mirth floated along their bond. But his mind still buzzed with agitation and his fingers were digging into her shoulder.

 _It's going to be okay._  Xandria brushed her mind against his the way wolves would nuzzle one another for comfort.  _You're going to be looking out for me the whole time. Like a big, brooding guardian angel._

“Damn right.” Bucky growled the words aloud. Steve arched a brow at the two of them, then shook his head and started gathering the papers scattered across the table.

“Check in with Coulson's head of operations. Agent Morse, I believe was her name.” Steve checked his notes then nodded to confirm the name. “She should be in the lab with Fitz and Simmons. You two can talk tactics while Miracle gets to know her new boyfriend.”

Bucky growled but Steve only shrugged and sauntered out. It was the closest the captain had come to a joke since the first dead mutants had made the news a week ago. None of them had seen Humans First coming. They'd managed to slip under every radar the organization had. It had everyone on edge. Human, Inhuman, mutant, it didn't matter. Humans First was bad news. And SHIELD was in their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on Tumblr at https://bigbandbombshell.tumblr.com/  
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BigBandBombshll  
> Find me on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/BigBandBombshell/  
> Find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bigbandbombshell/


	2. First Act

Bucky and Xandria had expected two, maybe three people to greet them in the lab. Instead, they found four

“Xandria!” A woman around Xandria's age popped her head out over the small crowd. The woman's mind buzzed with recognition that Xandria didn't return.

“Um, hi.” Xandria smiled as the woman drew nearer. It must not have been warm enough. The woman stopped several feet away as her own smile dimmed.

“You...you don't remember me, do you?” The woman let the question hang in the air a moment, then shook her head. “Of course you don't. You weren't well when we met. It's no matter! I'm Jemma, Jemma Simmons.”

Xandria offered her hand, then froze. A barrage of memories flew out from Simmons' mind as their hands made contact. Xandria's cheeks flashed hot as she realized why the woman knew her.

“After Siberia,” Xandria muttered. Confusion flashed across Jemma's' mind at the same moment worry shivered through Bucky. Xandria beat back her shock and flashed Jemma a warm smile to calm both Bucky and the scientist.

“Yes!” Jemma's smile returned in full force.

Xandria shook Jemma's hand again, then let go to slip her arm around Bucky's waist.

“Jemma and Leo... sorry, you prefer Fitz and Simmons, right?” Xandria waited for Jemma's nod before she went on. “Fitz and Simmons helped put me back together after Siberia. SHIELD didn't have any mutant specialists at the time. These two work with Inhumans, so they were the next best thing.”

“We've gotten better.”

Fitz stepped out of the small knot of people. His shoulder brushed against Jemma's and then lingered there. Clearly, Xandria and Bucky weren't the only couple involved in this operation.

“Inhumans and mutants are wildly different. So we've been studying up since meeting you.” Fitz' smile was more reserved than Jemma's. But he offered his hand all the same.

Bucky shook first. He took his time and made sure Fitz knew the super soldier was evaluating him.

“Let's hope nobody needs a medic this time,” was Bucky's only response.

 _They're an item too_. Bucky's thought slid into Xandria's mind as Jemma shook his hand. _That complicates things. It might make them sloppy._

_It's going to be fine. They're an item but they're also SHIELD agents. They've been through worse._

_You haven't. Not since...since Hydra._ Bucky wrapped his arm around Xandria's shoulders as his concern settled across her awareness. She soothed him as best she could and tried her best to get his mind back on the mission at hand.

“So what's the plan here, exactly? Coulson was a little vague on specifics.”

“That would be my doing.” A blonde woman waved from behind Jemma, then came forward to greet them. “I wanted to wait for you two before we locked in the details.”

“Agent Morse, I take it?” Bucky shook her hand when it was offered.

“I prefer Bobbi. You're Sergeant Barnes, of course. And you must be Miss Wesson.” Bobbi's mind buzzed along happily, not even skipping a beat when she caught sight of Bucky's metal arm. Xandria was relieved to sense that the woman didn't think twice about Xandria's status as a mutant. Xandria was SHIELD, she was an ally. That's all that mattered to Agent Morse.

“Please, call me Xandria. And he's Bucky. We're going to be working together for a while. Formal titles really don't seem necessary.”

A little bit of tension faded from the room.

“Good to know not everyone is a pompous ass down base-side.”

Bucky and Xandria leaned around Bobby to find the speaker. A sandy-haired man smirked back at them. He leaned back against a work station, his elbows on the worktop and his legs stretched across the narrow aisle between stations.

“That would be Hunter. He's managing the firepower for this mission.” There was no missing the exasperation in Bobbi's voice. Or the affection in her smile when she looked back at Hunter over her shoulder.

_Is everyone here married to someone on the team?_

_We don't exactly have room to talk, James._

_We're not married, doll. Though now that you bring it up..._

_Not funny._  Xandria frowned up at Bucky and gave him a gentle squeeze around the waist. Some sort of retort formed in Bucky's head but Fitz cut in before Bucky had time to finish his thought.

“Jemma and I have been in Europe for a while to establish our cover stories. I'm in with Humans First, deep enough that I get to bring over my 'college girlfriend' from the States. That's, uh... that's you.” Fitz' confidence flagged a little when he looked from Xandria to Bucky and back.

Xandria wanted to reassure the man and was surprised when Bucky cut in before she could.

“I think there's a few things that need to be cleared up.”

The tension in the room climbed a few degrees once again. Even Hunter, whose mind was equal parts anxiety and good-natured mischief, went still.

“I'm not happy about this mission. And it has nothing to do with Fitz and Xandria going in as lovers.” Despite Bucky's words, a flicker of agitation danced across his mind. Xandria wrapped her senses around his. The agitation faded a moment later and she felt a knot of tension loosen between her shoulder blades.

“Xandria has been on very few missions. Most of those fell between Siberia and her run-in with Hydra. That, coupled with her status as a mutant, makes me very wary of sending her into Humans First with backup that I don't personally know.”

“Would it help to know that we've been Coulson's core team since before the Schism?” Jemma managed a small smile for Bucky despite the scowl on the supersoldier's face.

“Not really. I don't know Coulson very well.”

“What about Clint Barton?” This time Hunter spoke up. “Bobbi, Barton, and I all go way back.”

Xandria blushed as memories spilled out from both Bobbi and Hunter. Shock stilled both minds as they realized Xandria had picked up on their thoughts.

“How... I thought you had to touch someone to read their thoughts?” Bobbi rocked back on her heels. It put another couple of inches between her body and Xandria's, though she didn't seem to realize what she'd done.

“That used to be the case. And sometimes it still is, if someone has learned to shield themselves. But Hydra changed things. The two of you project your thoughts and that makes it even easier.” Xandria shrugged a little, her cheeks red. She looked up at Bucky. “Bobbi and Clint were married, once upon a time. They split up and now Bobbi is with Hunter.” Xandria raised her shields just in case anyone else started broadcasting things they didn't want to share.

“I picked up on that last part.” Bucky nodded and gave Xandria a brief half-smile. “And Clint would still vouch for the two of you?”

Bobbi and Hunter nodded. Neither of them wore a smile anymore, though their minds didn't show any trace of mistrust. Just surprise. Surprise and discomfort.

 _I'll call him when we get back to our room._ Bucky's thought whispered across their bond even as he nodded to Hunter and Bobbi.

“So this, uh, change in your abilities.” Bobbi glanced away for a moment to clear her thoughts. “That's what landed you on this mission?”

Xandria nodded.

“Of the two telepaths SHIELD has, I'm better at reading minds. So they called me in.”

“I don't envy you.” Hunter shook his head. “This lot is a nasty bunch. And I don't just mean the 'humans first' approach. Theft, murder, assault. You name it and they've probably got it on their records.”

“Or they should. Plenty of them don't get caught,” Fitz mumbled under his breath. Jemma frowned and hooked her arm around his.

The room fell silent for a moment. Bobbi and Hunter shared a worried look. Xandria reached her senses out to Fitz before she caught herself and pulled them back in.

“If you ever want counseling I... well, it used to be my job. Before the Avengers, I mean.”

Fitz gave Xandria a brief smile.

“Thanks. Yeah, I remember. From your file, I mean.”

“Right.”

Silence fell again. Xandria and Fitz shared another awkward smile. It forged a line of tension down Xandria's back until her shoulders began to ache.

“So. Mission details.” Bobbi broke the silence. Xandria slumped a little against Bucky's side.

“What did you have in mind?” Bucky's eyes were on Bobbi but his mind wound around Xandria's. She sank into their connection. It was a familiar comfort that she wanted to enjoy while she could. There was no telling how long she and Fitz would be undercover.

“Fitz is already in place. He's in with a London cell of Humans First. Which, as best as we can tell, is their headquarters. Someone in London is calling all the shots. We need to figure out who it is.”

“That's where I come in?”

Bobbi answered Xandria with a small nod.

“Exactly. Fitz has been talking about his lost love since Coulson decided he needed to bring in one of SHIELD's telepaths. Your cover story is that you're an America human rights activist. Emphasis on the human part. Fitz finally got permission to bring you over when he told them that you reached out to him for ways to help the 'human cause' as they call it.”

Xandria swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat. People like Humans First had attacked Professor Xavier's school – Xandria's childhood home – more than once. And now she was going to pretend she was one of them.

“So Fitz brings me in and I poke around to find out who the head monster is.”

“Jemma is going to be on-sight to make sure you guys have backup. She's also the information checkpoint. So anything you guys gather goes to her and she transmits it back to Coulson. It keeps you and Fitz in the clear.”

“And what's Simmons' cover?” Xandria looked at the other woman and surprised to find her blushing.

“I'm... umm...”

“You have to understand, these aren't good people. And Fitz needs to blend in with them.” Hunter finally joined the half-circle of SHIELD agents.

“Okay...” Xandria trailed off and resisted to urge to lower her shields and just pick up the information from their thoughts. The last thing she needed was to alienate her allies.

“I'm his mistress.”

Jemma spit the words out and let them hang in the air.

“His...mistress...” Bucky frowned. “So your cover is that you're bringing Xandria over from the States because you love her and want her to work with you -”

“But he's got a girl on the side. Because they all do. Or two or three. If we didn't set it up, they'd have pushed someone on him.” Hunter shrugged but the wide set of his feet and the tension in his jaw undercut his casual tone. He didn't like it either. But he was right.

“So I'm the one you take to meetings -”

“And parties and clubs. They're big on partying. Work hard, play hard. That sort of thing.” Fitz shrugged. He looked even more uncomfortable than Hunter did. “But a couple nights a week I go to Jemma's apartment. The story goes that you and Jemma know I've got two, ah, partners. Neither of you is happy but neither of you says anything. That's how it usually goes with these guys, apparently.”

“And it makes it less likely that they'll suspect us of exchanging information.”

“It's... smart. If you three can sell this cover story.” Bucky glanced at each of the three in turn.

Fitz and Simmons exchanged a glance before Fitz turned to Bucky.

“May I?” He motioned to Xandria, his gaze flicking to both of them for permission.

 _This is when it starts, doll. Are you sure you're up for it?_ Bucky looked down at her. Xandria nodded, though they both felt the anxiety pulsing low at the back of her mind.

 _Now or never, I guess._ She gave him a small smile as he squeezed his arm around her shoulder. Then he stepped back and Fitz stepped forward.

Everything about the man changed. His shoulders pulled back. The hands stuffed in his pockets didn't seem so casual anymore. He didn't have them there because he was nervous. He had them there to still the casual violence that gleamed in his eyes. If Xandria hadn't been able to look into his mind, she'd have had him on his ass with a shockwave the second he was close enough to be a threat.

“C'mere.” He stopped two feet back and motioned Xandria closer with a soft jerk of his head. A smile softened his mouth as his eyes ran over her from head to toe.

She hesitated, a faint frown on her lips. Fitz stilled and his frown slowly faded.

“I won't say it again, love.”

Something in his tone sent a thrill of warning down Xandria's spine. Her feet moved before she realized what she was doing. Fitz slid one hand into her hair as the other brushed lightly around her waist to settle on the small of her back. For one brief moment, the real Fitz surfaced on his face.

“Trust me, alright?” He waited until Xandria nodded before the Humans First Fitz slid back into place.

His fingers tightened in her hair. It tipped her head back and, though Fitz wasn't too much taller than she was, made Xandria feel suddenly vulnerable.

“Give us a kiss, then.”

Fitz' voice dropped into a low rumble that would have had had Xandria on her knees if it had come from Bucky. As it was, she felt herself leaning in until Fitz' lips slanted over hers.

 _Just like kissing Bucky. I can do this._ She kept the thought to herself, tucked away where Bucky wouldn't see it.

And it was like kissing Bucky, if she kept her eyes closed and ignored Fitz' left hand. He offered the same demanding pressure, swept her lower lip with the tip of his tongue in the same way. He tasted wrong, but she would get used to that the longer they were undercover together. But, more than that, he didn't melt her the way Bucky could. She'd have to learn to fake that part.

Xandria wrapped her arms around Fitz' waist and pressed close against his chest. Jemma's mind buzzed with agitation. But when the kiss ended and Fitz tucked her under his arm, they found Jemma waiting with a bored expression.

“I'm impressed.” Bucky leaned against the far wall, Bobbi on one side and Hunter on the other. Xandria hadn't even heard them move. The realization didn't sit well with her.

“I've been living this version of myself for four months. I don't like him, but he has his uses.” The real Fitz popped back in place.

He gave Xandria a much more relaxed smile and stepped away to slide his arm around Jemma. Xandria wanted to slip into Bucky's arms but that wouldn't be an option when they were undercover. So she mirrored Jemma's boredom instead, her arms crossed loosely over her chest and one hip shifted to the side. Bucky's approval purred through her mind.

“We're expecting them to be undercover for about six months. Four nights out of the week Fitz will be at the apartment he and Xandria will share. The other three nights he'll be with Jemma. She'll relay information from her job at a computer repair shop.” Bobbi pushed off from the wall and the men followed suit.

Xandria smiled up at Bucky when he returned to her side but she stopped herself from reaching for him. Six months. She wouldn't be able to turn to him for six months. It would be a hard habit to break.

“Will I have a job?” She turned to Bobbi instead and used the mission to focus her thoughts.

“Humans First will assign you one. Your main reason for going to London is Fitz and 'the cause'. They'll take you in and get you settled.”

“Sounds almost cozy.” Hunter shrugged when five glares locked onto him. “For a terrorist group, I mean. Helping people get settled, getting them a job, providing community. If you took out the murder and crime and bigotry, it'd be a nice little setup.”

“I'll bring up your suggestion at the next meeting.” Fitz snorted a soft laugh. It dragged a smile from Xandria and for a moment the two of them laughed together.

“That's perfect.” Bucky gave them each a nod. “You two need to make sure you keep it like this when you're undercover. You're old friends, old lovers. It shouldn't seem new and awkward.”

“I think we can handle that.” Xandria gave Bucky a firm nod and double checked to make sure her own doubts were hidden away.

The meeting split up after that. Bobbi promised to send dossiers to their room as well as a list of tech and weaponry that the surveillance team would be using. She and Bucky made arrangements to meet up and discuss extraction after Coulson had approved the finalized mission brief. Jemma gave a cheery farewell wave as she and Fitz headed back to their own rooms. Xandria returned it as Bucky tugged her down the hall to the room they'd been assigned. He waited until they were behind the locked door before he spun her into his arms.

Her back slammed into the wall as his hands sank into her hair.

“I don't know if I can do this, babydoll. It's just a mission, but it doesn't feel right.”

“I know, James. But I have to.  **We**  have to. If this group gets bigger -”

“I know. I know.” Bucky rested his brow against hers, his eyes closed and his breathing short. “But seeing his hands on you... and six months? Stevie didn't say shit about  **six months**  of undercover work.”

Xandria wanted to tell him that she would speed things up. That they didn't know how her powers worked so they couldn't account for them. But his mouth was on hers before she could talk. A growl rumbled up through his chest. Something hard and primal clouded his mind.

“You taste like him,” he mumbled. “I'm gonna fix that.”

“It's going to happen, Buck. I have to play my part.”

“Not tonight you don't.” Bucky's hands vanished from her hair only to reappear on her hips.

He pulled her tight to his body before hoisting her in the air. She knew what he wanted, the silent command in his actions. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he turned toward their bed.

“You don't leave for the mission until tomorrow night. That means that, for tonight, you're still mine.”

“I'm always going to be yours, Buck.”

“I'm gonna make sure you don't forget that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on Tumblr at https://bigbandbombshell.tumblr.com/  
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BigBandBombshll  
> Find me on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/BigBandBombshell/  
> Find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bigbandbombshell/


	3. Remember Me

There weren’t words. Bucky’s mouth on hers didn’t give them much time to speak. His mind nudged hers instead. He wanted control, and Xandria gave it to him without a second thought. Her sense of their bond shimmered and changed as Bucky took over. His desires bloomed in her mind, and she moaned softly against his mouth.

 _You up for all that, babygirl?_ His voice was like warm leather in her mind, and Xandria nodded eagerly. She wanted to tell him how badly she wanted it, wanted him. But he had closed down that part of their bond and it set a low heat burning in her belly.

 _Gonna put you on that plane sore. So you don’t forget how good I make you feel. How good_ _ **only**_ _I make you feel_.

Xandria turned her head as Bucky crawled slowly up the bed in their room.

“Only you, Bucky. Always, only you.”

Bucky growled and captured her mouth with his once more, but she felt his approval thrumming across their bond. He wasn’t jealous, she would have felt that. But he  **was**  worried. They’d never been apart that long, not since Hydra took her. Now she was going to be surrounded by hostiles while she pretended to be another man’s woman. Bucky knew what that kind of pressure could do to two people.

She couldn’t chase away his fears. That was more than even her powers could do. But she could show him that she was his, body and soul. Even if it took all night.

Xandria lifted her hips when Bucky’s fingers found the tiny pearl buttons that held her skirt in place. He only shook his head and pressed her back to the bed with a broad palm on her belly.

 _Not yet, babygirl_.  _Shirt first_.

Bucky sat up as his words rolled through Xandria’s mind. She followed and brushed her lips over his cheek, then his jaw. Bucky’s hands found the hem of her blouse as she began to pepper small kisses across his collarbone. Xandria stopped as her shirt went over her head. Bucky pressed her back down into the mattress before she could start again.

Her lips felt swollen from the force of his kisses but that didn’t matter when he slanted his lips over hers again. This time he let her lift her hips when he tugged at her skirt, then went with it as he slid it down her legs.

“Jesus, babygirl…you’re too goddamn pretty.” Bucky stood at the end of the bed, Xandria’s skirt dangling from one hand. He took his time looking her over, memorizing her from head to toe before he had to let her go for the mission.

Auburn hair burned across their pillows. Her golden-green eyes were half closed as she reached for him. The rich green lace tucked between her legs matched the silk and lace number that clung to her breasts. Every inch of her made Bucky’s mouth water. He dropped her skirt as his eyes narrowed on the lace between her legs.

_That’s in my way, babydoll._

“What about my heels?” Xandria was already a little breathless, and the knowledge made Bucky throb.

“Leave ‘em on. At least for a little while longer.” Bucky let a predatory smile slip and watched as Xandria shivered. “Slip your panties down your hips, baby. You’re gonna look so pretty in nothin’ but your bra and those heels.”

“Only for you, Bucky.”

Her love for him mingled with her desire in the bond that connected them. Bucky let his own love flow into the bond, and Xandria’s blissful smile made his heart skip a beat. Her fingers eased the deep green lace down her hips, and Bucky crawled onto the bed. His hands closed over hers before he took the lace from her. Her skin was already heated, and Bucky couldn’t help but chuckle low in his chest.

“You gonna blow up the whole floor, doll?”

“I can control it.” Xandria’s pout was the cutest thing Bucky had seen all day. It also made him want to kiss her until she couldn’t breathe.

“I’m not sure I want you to.” Bucky threw her panties away over his shoulder and bent to kiss one of her knees and then the other before he slid off the bed once more to look at her.

He had been right. With her stilettos braced against the mattress and her knees spread ever so slightly, she was temptation made human. Her breasts strained against the silk and lace as she tried to control her breathing.

“Oh babygirl…” Bucky trailed off as his knees hit the bed. His voice slid into her thoughts as he nuzzled at one knee and then the other to urge her thighs further apart.  _You’re going to get it_.

They both felt the thrill his words sent up her spine. Xandria whined softly and Bucky nipped at her inner thigh. His shoulders hooked under her knees even as they wedged her thighs open around their breadth.

 _Such a pretty pussy. And all for me_.

Xandria managed a nod before Bucky’s tongue teased a lazy circle around her clit and her world flashed white for a heartbeat. She came back to herself as his teeth lightly grazed against the sensitive bud. After that all, Xandria could focus on was Bucky. She didn’t realize she’d sank her fingers into the thick richness of his hair until his free hand found hers and his voice slid into her mind.

 _Hold on tight, babydoll. Your sergeant is gonna make you feel real good_.

Xandria opened her mouth to answer and could only whine as the tip of Bucky’s tongue slid between her lips. He teased her, moaning softly as her taste flavored his tongue.

 _You taste so good, doll. I’m gonna miss the way you taste_.

“Bucky…” Xandria whimpered his name, and Bucky tightened his grip on her hand.

 _I’m sorry, darlin’. I won’t mention the mission again. Not until I’ve made you feel so good you can’t move_.

It wasn’t an idle promise. He’d done it before. Many, many times. But that didn’t stop him from plunging his tongue deep between her lips as if he had to prove it to her. Xandria’s hand fisted in his hair, but Bucky only groaned in response. She tried to tug her other hand free of his, instinct telling her to grab hold of the bed and anchor herself. But Bucky refused to let go. He tightened his grip and shifted their hands until they both rested on her belly.

His tongue curled inside of her as his nose nudged against her clit. Xandria bit her lip to stifle a scream but there was no way to stop the flood of whines and whimpers that poured from her mouth.

 _So sweet, darlin’. So damn sweet on my tongue_. He purred the words across their bond and moaned when he felt what they did to her.  _Are you gonna cum for me, babydoll? You gonna cum all over your sergeant’s tongue?_

Xandria nodded frantically, her breathing too erratic for speech. Bucky pressed closer and eased his free hand between her legs. Xandria didn’t feel it until the cool metal of his fingers joined his tongue. The first chill touch tore a scream from her despite her best attempts to keep quiet. The sound faded into soft moans and hungry whines as he began to stroke, fingers curving up and humming just ever so slightly. Her mind buzzed with arousal. He could feel her orgasm hovering just out of reach and swirled his tongue around her clit before plunging deep again.

_Cum for your sergeant, babydoll. Show me how good I make this pretty little pussy feel. Show me how much you love it when I -_

Xandria’s hips bucked and Bucky braced himself for the shockwave that he knew would follow. Her head snapped back, her eyes squeezed shut, and her lungs seized as pleasure burned through every nerve. She didn’t glow, she was still too much in control for that. But her release still triggered a small shockwave that set the blankets rippling and their bags sliding across the floor.

 _Good girl. Jesus, doll, you taste so damn good when you cum on my tongue_. Bucky lapped at her until she whimpered. Only then did he draw back, a smile on his lips as he wiped his face clean on his sleeve.

Xandria lay with her head to one side. Her hand fell from Bucky’s hair and he released her other hand to leave it resting on her belly. She whined when his fingers slid free and he shushed her gently.

“Patience, babygirl.”

The sound of his voice brought her head up. She opened her eyes and smiled when she found Bucky quickly stripping off his clothes.

“Bucky…”

“I’m coming, babydoll. I’m coming.”

“I need you.” Her voice slipped into a whine as her thighs pressed together and it was no act. He could still feel her desire, knew the kind of ache it left in her belly.  

“I’ve got you, darlin’. Just let your soldier take care of everything.”

Xandria nodded, and Bucky crawled back on the bed. His knee knocked her thigh aside and he caught it with his hand to hike it high on his hip.

“I need your words, doll. Do you think you can let your soldier take care of you?”

“Yes.” She giggled softly, and Bucky’s own need burned hotter.

“Yes…what?” He stalked up the length of her body until he could press them together head to toe. His length was trapped between their bellies and he could all but hear Xandria’s little whine of impatience as her hips wiggled.

“Yes,  **sir**.”

“Good girl.” Bucky’s mouth took Xandria’s with bruising force. Something about the way she said “sir” made his head spin, and he wanted to hear it again. He couldn’t find the words to explain, not when she was all but naked underneath him and his taste was on her tongue. So he gave her impressions instead. Thought, desires, feelings. Xandria drank them in, writhing gently up against them as they melded with her own desires.

“I’m gonna shred this bra if you don’t help me get it off,” Bucky growled. He needed something to distract him from the thoughts, at least for a moment. But Xandria had other ideas.

“If that’s what you want, Sir.” She slipped her arms around him and purred the words into his ear. His hands spasmed faintly against her hips, and he nearly lost his mind when she whimpered so close to his ear. They’d dabbled with this before. But this time felt different.

“Are you giving yourself to me, Xandria?”

Xandria lay back and nodded, her eyes full of trust. And love. Bucky crowded down against her, one hand in her hair and the other shredding the lace and silk hiding her breasts from his eyes. He had the garment in pieces before he’d lifted his lips from hers. Their eyes met and Bucky knew she felt it too. The difference, the depth. Her trust in him never ceased to leave him awe.

“I love you.” The words were simple but Xandria’s mind lit up like the night sky.

“I love you too, Bucky.”

Bucky opened his mouth. He wanted to say more. But one look at Xandria’s mind told him it wasn’t the right time. Not here, not now. Not right before a six-month mission. So he bit back his thoughts and let himself sink into the moment again.

 _Kick off your shoes, baby. But not too far. I might want you in those again later_.

Xandria giggled as the shoes clattered to the floor at the foot of the bed. Bucky captured her mouth and found her hands with his.

_Spread your legs for me, babydoll. I’ve been patient, but I need you._

The words had Xandria arching off the bed, one leg still hooked high on his thigh and the other shifting out.

 _That’s it baby. Give your sergeant what’s his_.

Bucky felt a flurry of Xandria’s thoughts bouncing off his grip of their bond. He loosened his control just a little and her words flooded into his mind.

_Your pussy, Sir. Yours, all yours._

_Damn right, all mine. Out loud, babygirl. Who do you belong to_?

“You, Sir. I belong to you!” Xandria strained against his grip on her wrists, but Bucky held fast.

_Always?_

“Always!” Xandria nodded, even as Bucky took another kiss. She bloomed under this kind of control, her body rolling against his and her mind delighting in the way he surrounded her.

“Good girl.” The words rolled off Bucky’s tongue. His approval made their bond glow and a wave of Xandria’s love answered.

Bucky shifted his hips between her legs until his length slid against Xandria’s lips.

“Please, Sir.”

“Please 'what’, babydoll?” Bucky teased the crown of his cock against her clit, and Xandria’s hips jerked against the bed.

“Please fuck me. I need you.”

“Oh, babygirl, I’m not gonna fuck you.”

Disbelief and irritation flashed across their bond. Bucky answered with a stroke of his thumb across her cheek and a touch just as gentle from his mind to hers.

“There’s no way I’m 'fucking’ you tonight. Not when I can do so much better.”

Bucky pressed her wrists down into the mattress as understanding washed through Xandria’s mind.

“There’s my girl.” He grinned and dipped his head for a kiss, his crown still teasing between her legs.

He kissed her until she whined, hips dancing. Only then did he draw back. Xandria gasped, her hips arching up from the bed as her legs wrapped around him.   
  
“Please, Sir…Bucky…” Color rose in her cheeks, though not the crimson glow he really wanted to see.

Part of him wanted to make her beg a little more but that would have to wait. He needed her as much as she needed him, and every minute that passed was a minute closer to her flight. So he shushed her gently and brushed the tip of his nose against hers. She calmed, just for a moment. And Bucky snapped his hips forward.

Xandria choked on her own scream as her pleasure flooded their bond. Bucky buried his face in the curve of her throat and muffled his moan against her skin. She took him nearly to the hilt and he drew back to snap forward again. And again. And again until he was seated within her.

“So good, babydoll.” He brushed his lips along her jaw until he found her mouth, unwilling to open his eyes. He wanted his senses focused on the way she felt, the way she sounded. She moaned softly with each thrust, her hips rolling to meet him until he held himself still within her.

They lay like that for a long moment.

“Bucky…Sir…please.” Xandria mumbled the words between one kiss and the next. “Make me feel good. Let me….oh gods…please!” She finished the thought in his mind, a plea to let her make him feel just as good as he made her feel.

“You do, doll. Fuck, you do.” Bucky pulled her closer, his arms sliding beneath her to gather her against his chest. Xandria’s arms wrapped around him, her hands splayed across his back as she pressed close. Then Bucky drove them both down into the mattress as his hips set a steady pace.

Xandria matched him, rocking her hips up to meet him and taking him to the hilt. Again and again, until she fluttered around him and his length throbbed. Her fingers dug into his back, nails leaving tiny crescents that would still be there in the morning. A complement to the faint bruises Bucky’s fingers had left on her thighs. Marks to remind the other of what they shared when Xandria was gone again.

“You gonna cum for me again?” Bucky rasped against Xandria’s ear.

“Yes Sir… gods yes.” Xandria gulped down a lungful of air. “Please, Sir…Bucky…cum with me. Inside me.”

“I will, baby. I’m so close. You’re so fucking hot. So wet for me.” Bucky nipped at her throat, words pouring off his tongue without thought. “Such a perfect, pretty little pussy. All for me.”

Bucky hissed as Xandria whimpered, her body tightening around his.

“You do that again and I’m not gonna be able to stop myself, babygirl.”

Xandria’s response flowed into his mind, an echo of Bucky’s own voice bouncing back at him.

“I never get tired of that. The way you love the dirty talk. How wet you get when I tell you how good you feel or how close I am to filling you until you’re dripping my cum…” Bucky grinned as Xandria’s body began to tense. Crimson trails snaked under her skin, making the flesh around them glow faintly.

Footsteps approached down the hall and Bucky cursed silently. Xandria would freeze if someone interrupted them and he didn’t want her to come down yet. She was so close. **They**  were so close.

“Let me take you deeper, baby,” he murmured. Xandria nodded and Bucky closed his eyes.

He buried his face against her once more as he extended his senses to surround hers. It wasn’t easy but their bond let him tap into some of Xandria’s powers. Now he used them to focus her attention on him, on them. The footsteps grew closer but Xandria was oblivious to them as she sank into their bond. A faint knock at the door nearly broke the spell but Bucky buried himself deep and nipped hard at her throat.

 _Tell me I make you feel good, babygirl_. He drowned the knock from her mind with his voice.

 _Bucky…_  Her inner voice keened softly as she rode the edge of release.

_That’s it, baby. Cum for me, cum for your sergeant. Can you do that, babydoll? Be a good girl and cum all over my cock?_

_I…Yes… Bucky!_

Xandria curved into him as she began to shake. The glow of her skin set stars dancing behind Bucky’s lids. He only held her tighter.

_That’s it, baby. So close. So close to making me feel good, making me cum. Don’t you want that? To make your soldier cum?_

_Cum, Bucky. Cum inside of me. I need it, Sergeant. Need you!_

Her words rocked through Bucky. His body tightened on itself and even he lost track of the knocking at their door. She clenched around him as the faint trembling drew her in on herself.

_Fuck! Gonna…cum…fill up your…your pretty little pussy. Jesus…Xandria!_

Xandria’s back arched, her head back and her nails dug into the strength of his back as another shockwave ripped out from beneath her skin. Bucky held tight, the pressure around his cock pushing him over the edge as Xandria hummed in his arms. He buried himself deep and roared into her shoulder as he filled her just as he had promised. She rolled against him until the last aftershocks rippled away and she fell limp in his arms. Bucky held her tighter, his own release stretching on for long minutes before he too collapsed.

He made sure the knocking had stopped and slowly withdrew his senses from her. Her mind hummed dully, lost in afterglow and submission. Bucky knew she was okay, but the need to hear her say it was overwhelming.

“Baby…Xandria… open your eyes, darlin’.”

Bucky raised himself up on one elbow and waited until she did as he asked. Her eyes met his and a blissful smile spread across her face.

“Hi, Sergeant.” Xandria giggled, then stopped as her body tightened against Bucky and he groaned low in his throat.

“Careful doll. I don’t think you can take much more right this second.”

She couldn’t, he knew that. She was exhausted and they still had mission prep to do. But god above, he didn’t want to let her out of bed. Xandria would let him keep her here and then stay up all night working if she had to. She’d done it before. But the last thing Bucky wanted was to send her into a terrorist cell without a proper night of sleep.

So he slowly slid himself from her arms and crawled off the bed. Xandria tried to follow but her release had left her too weak. Shockwaves wore her out. It didn’t matter if they were in battle or in bed. Strong ones would knock her out completely. But small ones – controlled ones like the ones Bucky was treated to when he took her to bed – left her too weak to move.

Bucky gathered her into his arms and made his way to the bathroom attached to their room. He cleaned her up as best he could and then carried her back to bed. She was all but asleep in his arms when he pulled back the sex-mussed blankets and laid her in bed. Xandria whined when he started to step back, her hands reaching for him. Bucky caught her hands with one of his and kissed her forehead as he drew the blankets up to her shoulders.

“I just have to grab something and then I’ll be right here beside you. Okay?”

Xandria grumbled but relented. Bucky smiled and kissed her brow one more time before he went looking for his pants. They were under a dresser, pushed there by her shockwave and he couldn’t help but smile as he pulled them on. Then he opened the door and his smile vanished. A thick envelope sat across the hall, their names written across the top in black marker.

**Here’s the mission specs you wanted. We meet at 0400. Try not to keep the whole floor up with alarms?**

He assumed the last line was a joke. Then, after a moment of thought, he decided that he didn’t care. He took the envelope back inside and pulled his jeans off again and slid into bed beside Xandria. She rolled toward him in her sleep, and he pulled her tight against his side as he began reading the mission specs. He’d fill Xandria in when she woke up.

Rather, after he woke her up. Bucky made it another hour before he wanted her again, and it wasn’t the last time that night. He didn’t tell her about Bobbi’s joke. Or the alarms he could now hear sounding off every time Xandria came undone beneath him. He hid them from her, as he’d hidden the knocking. He didn’t want her to remember any of that when she left for the mission. Bucky just wanted her to remember  **him**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on Tumblr at https://bigbandbombshell.tumblr.com/  
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BigBandBombshll  
> Find me on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/BigBandBombshell/  
> Find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bigbandbombshell/


	4. Wake Up Call

Xandria woke up alone the next morning. She sent her senses out across the base and smiled when Bucky's mind answered her call from the direction of the kitchen. Her mind drew back in on itself, content to know he was still nearby. It was enough to get her out of bed and into the bathroom to clean up before her flight. She had barely made it out of the shower when Bucky slipped back into their room.

“Mornin' babydoll.” Bucky abandoned a tray of coffee mugs and breakfast food on the dresser. Xandria grinned as he made a beeline for her and swept her up into his arms.

“Mornin' yourself, sergeant.”

Xandria's legs wrapped around his waist. She brushed one hand through his hair and hooked the other around his neck. Small bite marks peeked out from under the collar of his shirt and Xandria couldn't help but blush.

“I don't remember leaving those,” she mumbled. Bucky chuckled low in his chest.

“Oh, I remember. It was sometime around round five. I don't think you were aware of much at all by that point.”

“Just you.” Xandria laced her fingers together behind Bucky's neck and brushed her lips against his. It was all the encouragement Bucky needed. He had her in bed on her back before she took her next breath.

A knock on their door pulled them up short.

“The van leaves in twenty minutes and Coulson wants a briefing before you go.” Daisy's voice was muffled but unmistakable through the door.

Panic flickered to life in Xandria's belly. Bucky called back an answer even as he lined Xandria's shoulder with gentle kisses.

“I slept that late?” Xandria hated how scared she sounded. It had been easy to sound tough in front of the other SHIELD agents. But here, in bed with Bucky, it was nearly impossible. Trading this for six months undercover with Humans First suddenly seemed like the dumbest thing she had ever done.

“I made sure of it,” Bucky murmured as he drew back. “You needed your rest before you're dropped into that snake pit.”

Xandria could only curl into Bucky and hide her face against his chest. He smelled like ginger and musk and leather. She memorized the scents before she gently pushed him away. They were a memory she'd need if she wanted to make it through the mission with her sanity intact.

Bucky cradled her close and closed his eyes. He knew what she was doing. He had done the same thing the night before while she slept. Xandria's telepathy made memories seem almost real if they were accessed correctly. Bucky's connection to her offered some of the same clarity. He knew they would be both spend the next six months relying on these memories when things got hard.

“It's time, James.”

Xandria gently pushed Bucky away. He stood and caught her hands in his to pull her to her feet. Bucky waited until she was dressed before he sat at the small table in their room and pulled Xandria into his lap. They speak while they ate, occasionally feeding each other. They relied on the mental link they shared to convey all the things they didn't have time to say. But at least Xandria's eyes were dry when another knock came out their door and an agent escorted them to the garage.

Coulson waited beside the van, flanked on either side by agents Xandria hadn't seen before.

“These are Agents May and Mackenzie. They will be emergency contacts for the op, should anything go wrong and I am unavailable.”

“No offense, but let's hope we don't get to know each other too well.” Mack flashed a small smile as they all exchanged handshakes.

“We'll save that for after the op.” Bucky gave the man an understanding nod as they shook hands. Xandria did her best to keep her mind from pushing against Mack's. The man was a projector if she had ever met one. His thoughts came through clearer than just about anyone's ever had. Even doing her best to control her mutation, it wasn't hard to see the man's determination. Or his worry for the people going undercover.

Coulson began the briefing. Xandria shifted her focus with a small sigh of relief.

“You're going to board the transport van here. It'll make a few stops that the company usually makes, then it'll go on to the airport. Assume that Humans First has eyes on you from the moment you're in that van with anyone other than our driver.”

Xandria nodded and Coulson turned his attention to Bucky.

“I assume the two of you read the information Agent Morse left for you?”

“Yes, sir.” Bucky nodded and Coulson hummed softly in acknowledgment.

“Good.” He handed a pre-packed purse to Xandria. “Your new cellphone is inside. Memorize the contents on the off chance someone reads your texts and has questions. They like to put new members through their paces, but that was in the packet you read last night.”

“It was, along with the general game plan. I'm ready, Director Coulson.”

“No, you're not.” Coulson's smile took all the sting from his words. “Nobody is every ready for their first undercover op. And going under this long on your first time around... it's not going to be easy, Miss Wesson.”

Bucky's mind brushed Xandria's. He agreed with Coulson but he bathed her in comfort all the same. Xandria nodded at Coulson, at a loss for words as she soaked up all of Bucky's love that she could.

“Alright, well, enough standing around. Let's get this thing going!”

Coulson shook Xandria's hand, then Bucky's. He led the other two senior agents out and left Xandria standing beside the van. The driver was already behind the wheel and Xandria's mission-approved baggage sat in the back end.

“Just give us a minute, alright?” Bucky looked over at the driver. The guy nodded but tapped his watch pointedly. Apparently, SHIELD agents got in character early and stayed there.

Bucky guided Xandria around to the van's blind spot and pulled her into his arms. He rested his brow on hers as she swallowed down the lump rising in her throat.

_I'll be watching you the whole time. Surveillance is set up less than five miles from your location at any given time. If anything happens, I'll be right there by your side._

Xandria nodded. She couldn't find the words for the feelings tearing at her chest. She passed Bucky impressions instead. Her determination, her fear, her love for him. The need to protect people and the way it warred with her desire to crawl back in bed with him and hide under the covers until someone else drove off the monsters.

 _I know, babydoll. I know._ Bucky brushed the tip of his nose against hers. Xandria tipped her face up toward his and whimpered into the soft kiss he brushed across her mouth. Tears pricked her eyes but she willed them back, willed them away.

“Five miles, Xandria. That's the furthest away I'll be.”

“Five miles.” Xandria gave a small nod and took a deep, shaking breath as she stepped away from the protection of Bucky's arms. Love filled the bond between them, making up for the words that she couldn't say without the tears making a comeback.

Bucky took her hand in his and helped her into the van. She gave him a final, nervous smile as he closed the door with a heavy  _ **slam**_. Xandria settled into her seat and opened her purse to pull out the phone SHIELD had placed inside. The driver maneuvered the van out of the garage and out into the world.

_Six months, doll. Then I'm bringing you home. I swear._

Bucky's voice spread through her mind before distance limited their contact. Xandria reached for him but the van moved fast enough that all she got was one last reassuring glimmer before she lost touch with him completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on Tumblr at https://bigbandbombshell.tumblr.com/  
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BigBandBombshll  
> Find me on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/BigBandBombshell/  
> Find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bigbandbombshell/


	5. London

Xandria checked her reflection one more time. The clothes were a far cry from her usual style but they would help her fit in. Skintight jeans and high-heeled boots outlined every curve. A tank top clung to her skin, the fabric barely thick enough to obscure the color of her bra. Her jacket did little to make her feel less exposed. Neither did the heavy makeup or chunky jewelry.

Her cellphone trilled in her purse. Xan jumped back from the bathroom counter. She scolded herself silently as she bolted back to the counter and fumbled her phone from the bag. Memorizing every word of her cover story wouldn't help if she acted anything less than thrilled to be in London.

“Hello?” Xan managed a grim smile when the word came out as a bright chirp.

“I'm waiting, love.” Fitz' voice – the voice that he used undercover – purred over her phone line. He sounded nothing like the man Xandria knew from the lab. She found it oddly reassuring.

“I'm just freshening up.” Xandria closed her eyes, imagined Bucky, and managed a thin giggle. “I want to make a good impression.”

“You leave that up to me,” Fitz chuckled darkly. “Just get your pretty little arse out here so we can get you nice and settled, hm?”

“I'm on my way.”

Xandria's smile fell the second she ended the call. She could barely meet the reflection of her own eyes until she forced herself to do it.

 _Happy_ , she reminded herself. _You're_ _ **happy**_ _to be here. You love Fitz, you support the cause. And you're_ _ **happy to be here**_ _._

 

* * *

 

With a final deep breath, Xandria made her way into the baggage claim. The carousel for her flight was packed with people though the belt had yet to move. She scanned the crowd with her eyes, her mind locked down tight against the crushing chaos of so many humans crammed into a single place. Nobody waved back from the crowd and she slowly turned on her heel.

A sharp whistle caught her attention. She spun toward the sound and didn't have to fake the relieved smile that lit her face. Fitz was wonderfully familiar so far from home. Xandria shrugged her purse up onto her shoulder and opened a narrow mental bridge between their minds.

_Run into my arms. Trust me. And, erm, it's Leo here._

_Don't drop me,_ _**Leo**_ _._

“Leo!!” Xandria squealed as she broke into a sprint. Her boots made it hard to pick up any real steam. But she was no less impressed when Fitz – **Leo –** stooped low and caught her at a run. He hoisted her legs up around his waist as Xandria followed the images flowing from his mind. She cupped his face in both hands and slanted her mouth over his. Her hair hid them from the stares of other passengers as Leo's tongue slid between her lips like he had done it a thousand times before. Xandria forced herself to melt against his chest as he massaged her thighs, though she could feel their shared sense of relief when someone tutted for Leo's attention. They both turned to the sound, lips throbbing faintly.

Two men leaned against a nearby post, identical smirks on their lips. Ratty jeans and thick zip-up hoodies did little to disguise the sheer muscle mass they possessed.

“And here we thought she'd be too high and mighty to give her man a proper hello.” One man elbowed the other and they both broke into low chuckles. Xandria's blush only made them laugh louder.

“Ease up, boys. You promised you'd be nice.”

Fitz slowly set Xandria on her feet, an easy grin on his lips. His arm slid around her shoulders with an ease that was quickly becoming familiar. Xandria snuggled into his side and beamed a smile up at him even though his focus was still on his friends.

“She's a pretty thing,” one of them commented.

“Shame Leo isn't the sharing kind.”

Xandria threw the men a startled look and their chuckles returned.

“Don't you worry, lovie. Leo's made it clear you're off-limits unless he says otherwise. You'll learn quick that we stand by each other around here.”

 _Members sometimes share women. I'm not going to let that happen_.

“Can you blame me?” Fitz slid his hand down her arm and around to the top of her ass. Xandria nuzzled her face into his shoulder to hide her blush.

“Not even a little, mate.” The taller of the two men chuckled. “Though if we don't get her shit and get back soon, I might start to.”

The men pushed away from the post and led the way over to the baggage carousel. Leo nuzzled into Xandria's hair as they followed behind.

 _There's a party tonight. They want to get back to get ready for that_.

 _Am I supposed to be there?_ '

 _If I go, you go. If I don't go, you don't go. That's how these guys work_.

 _Gee, great guys._ Xandria allowed herself a frown, her face hidden against Fitz' chest.

“You two getting' a room before the party? Or are we getting a show tonight?”

“The only show you'll get is the one he puts on for you.” Fitz jerked his chin from one man to the other and all three of them broke down into an ugly laugh that Xandria never wanted to hear again. A few of the other passengers slowly eased away from the small knot the four of them made. It normally would have mortified Xandria, but that was the real her. This version of her – this Xandria – couldn't have cared less.

_How simpering do I play this?_

_With me? As simpering as you can manage. At worst they'll be annoyed but it'll buff up my image and that helps the mission_. _At best, they'll overlook anything suspicious about you and chalk it up to you being a bit..._

_Vapid?_

Leo's silent agreement trickled across the bridge between their minds. Xandria allowed herself a soft sigh before she schooled her features into a pout. From now on she was going to sell the cover story. She had no choice.

“Leo...” Xandria crooned the name in a sing-song. Leo looked down at her, one brow arched and not a trace of surprise on his face. Undercover work sat well on Leopold Fitz. “My bag is _really_ heavy. Is there any chance one of you boys could help me with it?”

“Still a little thing, aren't you?” Fitz chuckled as he pulled her in and pressed a kiss to her brow. “Don't worry, love. We'll take care of everything.”

“I'll carry your bag. All I need's a kiss.” One of the men puckered up. Xandria stuck her tongue out at him and huddled back into Leo's side. The man stared open-mouthed and wide-eyed until his friend roared out a laugh.

“She's a sweet thing, that's for sure,” he managed between laughs. “But it seems like all her sweetness is for Leo. I'll carry the bag. You mind your mouth before you get yourself in trouble.”

The man snapped his mouth shut with a grumbled. Xandria worried about backlash for a moment. Then the man winked at her and turned back to the carousel.

 _Nicely done_. Leo's voice held a note of surprised pride.

 _Just following your cues. This bridge will stay open unless you tell me to close it. We'll be able to act much more in-sync this way_.

_You'll have to teach me how to navigate all of this when we get to the apartment._

Xandria nuzzled Leo's chest as a confirmation. They stood in silence until the belt began to move and Xandria had to describe her bag to the other men. More silence followed, broken only by the sight of Xandria's bag. The group headed for the exit the moment they had it in hand, the two men once again in the lead. They joked back and forth before the conversation broke down into speculation on the party later that night. And the longer they talked about it the more certain Xandria was that she didn't want to be there.

 _Is there any way we can skip this thing? Pretend the passion of our reunion is more important_?

 _Not a chance. I've been talking about you for weeks. They're all eager to meet you. And if we beg off for sex, someone will be at our door just to try and barge in. It'll be worse. Trust me_.

_I don't want to know how you know that._

_No, no you don't._ Leo's arm tightened around Xandria's shoulders. It had nothing to do with their cover and everything to do with the truth of who they were. Two SHIELD agents isolated among people with violence at their core. Xandria smiled as they stepped out into the late afternoon sunlight. But she had never wished more for Tony overhead, Steve at her back, Rhodey in her ear. And Bucky by her side.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on Tumblr at https://bigbandbombshell.tumblr.com/  
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BigBandBombshll  
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